The BKWSU

Brahma Kumaris’ Raja Yoga is now promoted behind the facade of new age, positive thinking, values based and coporate training courses. Many individuals experience benefit from these. Indeed, some individuals can look back at their time as a “student” of the BKWSU positively.

However, whether right or wrong, at the core of BKWSU teachings and lifestyles are identical elements to recognised cultic behaviour. Elements that are hidden from the general public and slowly introduced during the process of indoctrination.

Whilst claiming to have 8,500 centres in 100 countries, the vast majority of these are privately owned residential homes and apartments, many taking donations to pay for personal mortgages. The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is not an educational institution but an unaccredited new religious movement.

Brahma Kumari beliefs include;

» belief in the imminent destruction of this world by an unavoidable Nuclear Holocaust [now overdue by 30 to 50 years]
» belief in themselves as the only true messengers of God
» belief that God only speaks to them and them alone in person at their Indian headquarters via a mediumistic channeller
» hypnagogic, trance-like practises and repetitive auto-suggestion
» fixation on attracting VIPs to enhance their credibility and act as “microphones” for their message
» exaggerated distinction between “pure” [their teachings and activities] and “impure” [the rest of the World’s opinions and leaders]
» exaggerated sense of self-importance [they being topknot “Brahmins”], the rest of the World [Untouchables or “Shudras”]
» belief in an unrealistic view of science, e.g. all of time existing within one endlessly repeating 5,000 year timeframe
» a slow and gradual re-writing of their core beliefs as they fail
» unquestionable and unaccountable non-democratic leadership
» amassing of considerable wealth from followers under such pressures
» complete separation from non-BKs by complete control of diet, demanding lifestyle, celibacy
» graphic exaggeration of the plight of those that leave the group ; “grinding of teeth like the sound of mustard seeds … crying tears of blood at Destruction”, sexual activity being like “throwing one’s self from a 5th storey high building”, having to face a severe God at Judgement Day
» secrecy, revision and disguise of the nature and process of teachings
» intense and long lasting social and psychological problems within individuals leaving the organisation.

The Brahma Kumaris encourage followers;

» not to eat food cooked by impure non-followers such as physical relatives
» to practice detachment from parents and children
» to separate from non-Brahma Kumari partners and family so as not to make any more “karmic accounts” with them that would be obstacles to their path

Under these pressures, individuals are willing to put aside reason and surrender themselves mind, body and wealth, to the will of senior members of the BKWSU. Most of these senior members are professionally untrained in any manner whatsoever. Despite dabbling with perhaps the deepest levels of the human mind, many of these senior members have only ever had a basic education, e.g. 3 years schooling, and no professional experience. One senior BK recently estimated that in India there were as many as 20,000 so-called teachers that have had no training whatsoever. The curriculum and teaching methods have been likened to that of a primary school or kindergarten where followers are infantilized as children.

In this situation, individuals are open to manipulation, the influence of the group or other psyches. Major life decisions are taken on their behalf under the guise of “God’s instructions”. They take on many new, extreme and unproven beliefs unquestioningly in a wish to be accepted. At the point of the failure in these beliefs, or the failure in trust of those self-elected senior practitioners, ex-members are almost without any social support mechanism whatsoever.

Ex-Brahma Kumaris [female] and ex-Brahma Kumars [male] are often unable or unwilling to accept the help of family, or even the help of professionals, who have not gone through the same experience. The strength of mind, developed will or depth of ill explained experience make ex-BK Raja Yogis very independent, detached and resilient.

The organization’s mental training roots distrust of non-BKs at a deep, even sub-conscious level. It is suggested that perhaps only others that have gone through similar experiences can help to explain these, share their pain and make suggestions on how to survive.

Our decision has been to discuss all these issues openly for the first time within this website.